Arenicola marina in infralittoral fine sand or muddy sand

Description (English)

In shallow fine sand or non-cohesive muddy sand in fully marine conditions (or occasionally in variable salinity) a community characterised by the polychaete Arenicola marina may occur. This biotope appears quite faunally sparse. Those other taxa present however, include scavenging crustacea such as Pagurus bernhardus and Liocarcinus depurator, terebellid polychaetes such as Lanice conchilega and the burrowing anemone Cerianthus lloydii. Occasional Sabella pavonina and frequent Ensis spp. may also be observed in some areas. The majority of records for this biotope are derived from epifaunal surveys and consequently there is little information available for the associated infaunal species. It is possible that this biotope, like unit A5.241 (to which it is broadly similar) is an epibiotic overlay on other biotopes from the A5.2 complex.
Temporal variation: At certain times of the year a diatom film may be present on the sediment surface.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification